Srinagar, September 16, 2021 (PPI-OT):In Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, the residents of several villages in south Kashmir’s Shopian district staged a peaceful protest against the anti-people policies of the authorities. The residents of Narwa, Chodrigund, Ayand, Rawalpora, Bamnipora, Gadapora, Kachdora and Palpora staged a sit-in protest in front of the power receiving station in Narwa village against the power tariff hike. The residents said that the PDD had hiked the monthly power tariff by Rs 225.

“The department has suddenly hiked the power tariff from Rs 550 to Rs 775,” said Shabbir Ahmad, a local. The residents termed the hike as “selective and discriminatory”. “We fail to understand why the PDD authorities hiked the power tariff in a particular cluster of villages,” said Khursheed Ahmad, a resident of the area.

According to Ahmad, only eight villages in the entire district had been served bills with the revised tariff. “It is a discriminatory move of the authorities. Despite footing our bills without fail, the authorities have hiked the tariff in only our villages,” he said. Before dispersing peacefully, the residents urged the authorities to immediately roll back the power hike.

On the other hand, Vewan village in north Kashmir’s Bandipora district is still craving for basic amenities like potable water supply, electricity, roads and mobile connectivity while healthcare is also not up to the mark. With a population of around 600 semi-tribals, the uphill village recently hogged headlines for being the first village in IIOJK to vaccinate 100 percent population in the 45 years and above age group against COVID-19. According to locals, the village almost 22 km from the district headquarters has been neglected by the successive regimes.

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